"My pastor made me steal a car' - company driver

25-year-old Daniel Oguntade was nabbed while trying to divert the company’s vehicle from Lagos State to Ogun State.

Oguntade, when arrested alleged that he was hypnotized by his pastor (names withheld), to divert the company’s vehicle, a Toyota Hiace, 2014 model, with number plates EKY 463 DM.

According to Vanguard investigations, On the 24th of December, Oguntade was directed to pick a client up from the airport, and also deliver cash of a N150,000 to other people.

Suspicions arose when he did not return on his errand by 8:00pm as agreed and the client he was asked to pick up was left stranded at the airport.

After the police was involved, the car was traced to a location in Ifo, Ogun state, where Oguntade and an accomplice, reportedly an electrician, were caught trying to disable the car's tracking device.

In an interview with Vanguard, Oguntade was quoted as saying, “I had no intention of diverting the vehicle. My pastor talked me into doing it.

“I have been working for the company for three years without any soiled record. My salary is N60,000.

READ: Police nab suspected pipeline vandal, recover truck

“I suspect I was hypnotized by my pastor (names withheld) because while I was on the Third Mainland Bridge at 11.30a.m., heading for the airport, I received two calls; one from my dad, informing that my mother was sick and the other from my Pastor, ordering me to report immediately at the church located at Adiyan, Ogun State.

“As if propelled by forces beyond me, I proceeded to the church in the company’s vehicle.

“On arrival, my pastor told me to drop the hampers in the church, even when I told him that my boss directed me to give them to some clients.

“He reminded me that that day was Imoke day, a special service day and asked me to join the service.

“A church member, , accompanied me to the fuel station to fill the tank. But to my surprise, the car refused to start while at the fuel station. Time was 7.30p.m."

“When I called my pastor to inform him about the development, he said I should tell my boss that the vehicle had been snatched by robbers, including the hampers and cash. I could not pick my calls when my boss called and when I eventually picked it, I could not talk.

“I never knew the vehicle had a tracking device. I thought it had an electrical fault that was why I called an electrician to repair it. To my surprise, RRS men swoop on us.”

The pastor, when contacted, has however denied these claims.